NCJ Number
172977
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 61 Issue: 3 Dated: September 1997 Pages: 19-22
Date Published
1997
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the cost-effectiveness of a county house arrest with electronic monitoring (EM) program for drunk drivers in Western Pennsylvania during its first full year of operation between October 1992 and October 1993.
Abstract
Pennsylvania law mandates certain periods of confinement for driving under the influence (DUI) offenses. All DUI offenders must serve a minimum of 48 hours in confinement, after which time it is possible for an offender to be accepted into intermediate punishment (IP). Participating offenders can enter IP in lieu of going to jail, and 1 day of EM is equal to 1 day of confinement. The EM program uses an active monitoring system and occasionally employs tracking technology via an autolog monitoring system. Only the following types of cases can be sentenced to house arrest with EM: DUI, bad checks, retail theft, simple assault, and second degree burglary. An evaluation of 57 DUI offenders who participated in EM indicates the program relieves jail overcrowding and is a cost-effective alternative to incarceration. 13 references